The subject-matter of the invention relates to a milk collecting piece comprising a housing upper part with at least two intake nozzles and a housing lower part with at least two chambers which are each flow-connected to an outtake nozzle via an outlet.
Milking implements are used for the milking of animals, in particular of cows. A milking implement comprises a milk collecting piece which is connected to a teat cup via a respective short milking hose. The teat cup comprises a sleeve in which a teat rubber is arranged. The teat rubber is connected to the short milking hose. It is known that the teat rubber and the short milking hose are used in one piece as what is known as a monoblock. The short milking hose is connected to an intake nozzle. The milk flowing into the milk collecting piece through the milking hoses is conveyed away from the milk collecting piece via an outtake nozzle. The milk collecting piece is connected to a milk conveying line. A long milking hose is used for connecting.
For the milking of sheep and goats, milk collecting pieces are known having two intake nozzles. For the milking of cows, milk collecting pieces are known having four intake nozzles. The number of intake nozzles corresponds to the number of teats of the milk-providing animal.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,744 discloses a milk collecting piece having a housing. The housing is formed by a housing upper part and a housing lower part. At least two intake nozzles are provided. At least two chambers, which are each flow-connected to an outtake nozzle via an outlet, are provided within the housing.
Document DE 10 2005 017 094 A1 discloses a further embodiment of a milk collecting piece. This document describes a milk collecting piece with a housing in which four chambers are provided. The chambers are connected to intake nozzles. The milk entering the chambers issues from the milk collecting piece via an outtake nozzle.
During a milking process, the situation can occur that a milking cup falls away from the teat or is detached by the animal to be milked. If the milking cup falls away from the teat, then air flows through the milking cup and the short milking hose into the milk collecting piece. With the air, dirt can enter the milk collecting piece and ultimately the milk collecting container. In order to close off the air flow, it is known that the intake nozzles are configured in such a way that the milking hose kinks at the free end of the intake nozzle, so that the supply of air is interrupted. However, the valve function of the outtake nozzle/milking hose pairing is not satisfactory. This problem has already become known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,272 or CH-A5-667 973 provides in the milking cup a valve which can be used to prevent milk from issuing from the milking cup. The valve is formed by a valve body which enters into abutment against the valve seat as a result of reduced pressure or under the action of gravitational force.